Adjustable busi n ess-sign and indicator



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

C. N. HAMMOND.

ADJUSTABLE BUSINESS SIGN AND INDICATOR.

No. 389,074. Patented Sept. 4, i888,

arma

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. C. N. HAMMOND.

ADJUSTABLE BUSINESS SIGN AND INDICATOR.

No. 889,074. Patented Sept. 4, 1888.

Wizngsses UNITED Srnfrns ninna* Ottica.

C. NEVTON HAMMOND, OF CANTON, ASSIGNOR OF T\VO-TlllRDS TO lSAAO N.BEARDSLEE, OF EAST CANTON, PENNSYLVAIA.

ADJUSTABLE BUSINESS-1 SlGN AND lNDlCATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 389,074, datedSeptember 4, 1888.

Serial No. 263,929. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, C. NEWTON HAMMOND, a citizen of the United States,residing at Canton, in the county of Bradford and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable1lluminated and Transparent BusinessSigns; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

1o such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

This invention relates to indicators and business-signs- The object isto provide an indicator for I5 office use which will give information asto the Whereabont ot' the person sought, and,if absent, the hour of hisreturn, and which in dicator shall be comparatively simple andinexpensive oi' construction and efficient in opzo eration.

The invention consists in an indicator having a flap hinged upon it,means whereby said ilap may, when turned, be held to exhibit eitherside, and stops or cushions against wh ich the flap may bear.

. Furthermore, the invention consists in an indicator provided with aflap adapted to be turned to exhibit either side and a spring designedto hold the Hap in position.

Furthermore, the invention consists in an indicator having openings inits outer easing,

a flap hinged thereon, a spring adapted to hold the tlap in positiornaband or bands within the easing, and means' whereby said band or bandsare caused to pass in front of the o'penings.

Furthermore, the invention consists in an indicator having openings inits outer casing, rollers jonrnaled in the casing, means whereby 4o saidrollers may be rotated, a band or bands caused by rotation of therollers to nuove past the openings, and stops engaging the rollers.

Furthermore, the invention consists in an indicator having openings inits outer casing,

rollers journaled within the easing, a band or bands operated by therollers, and a springactnated pin or stop engaging openings in therollers.

Furthermore, the invention consists in roll- 5o ers, each havingopenings in its circumference, a lever carrying at one end a pin adaptedto engage the openings, and at its other end a key for depressing thelever and operating the pin, and a springbearing upon the lever todepress the pin, and, finally, in various novel details of construction,hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts, Figure l represents a front elevation ofanindicator, showing the flap turned down to un- 6o cover the openings.Fig. 2 represents a side elevation ofthe saine. Fig. 3 represents adetail view of the upper rollers and spring stop. Fig. 4 represents afront elevation of the indieator, the ilap being turned up to cover theopenings; and Fig. 5 represents a vertical sect ion of the same.

A designates a box or casing, suitably con structed, upon the outer faceot' which, about its center, is hinged a (lap, B. The face of the 7o boxor casing A may bear the name and occupatiou oi' a person. while oneside of the flap may bear the words In Olcej7 as shown in the drawings.

Openings a a' are formed in the face ot the 75 box A, above one of whichmay be the word Atj while above the other may be Return, or othersuitable Word or expression. Through each of these openings is displayeda band or ribbon, C C', carried by rollers c c', 8o situated,respectively, near the top and bottom of the interior of the box andjonrnaled therein. The outerjournal of each of these rollers extendsthrough the side of t-he box, and is there provided with a thumb-nut, by85 means of which the rollers are rotated. ln the device hereillustrated there are shown four rollers arranged in pairs verticallyparallel, the upper and lower roller ofeach pair having attached to itone end of the band or rib- 9o bon. Upon one ot' these bands or ribbonsmay be printed, painted, or otherwise marked eX- pressions l Drug Store,About Town, Out ofTown, Church "Jnstiees()fee,7 Glerlrs Office,l)inner,f`P Post-Office, Barber-Shop, or anything of the like,indieating the whereabont of the person by whom the device is employed,these being displayed through the'opening a., above which the Word At isshown. Any of these expressions mayr loo be shown by rotating one of therollers by means of its thunibnut..

being insured through a guide, d5.

rIhe outer band is intended to indicate the houror ti me of return,beingdisplayed through the opening a', above which the word Return isshown,and upon this band are marked the hours of the day, the days ofthe week, or such expressions as Soon, VVait, &c. It is similarlyoperated.

When in ofiice,the flap is turned up into po sition to cover theopenings a a', displaying upon its side, now exposed, the expression InOffice.

The position ofthe flap is insured by springs b b', attached at one endto pins b2 upon the outer edge of the ilap, at a slight distance fromits pivot, its opposite end being secured upon the side of the box in aline with the pivot or hinge. Thus it will be seen that whether the flapbe in one position or the other the spring will draw it closely againstthe face of the box and prevent its accidental displacement.

Conveniently situated upon the face of the box are rubber disks fr,which act as cushions for the flap when turned into position, and alsoraise it slightly above the surface of the box to permit it easily to beraised.

Io prevent the rollers from being partially rotated through jar orotherwise, and thus from disturbing the adjustment of the bands, acatch, D, is provided above each ofthe upper rollers, which consists ina pin, d,adapted to engage small openings d in the inner edges of eachof these rollers, the pin being carried by one end of a lever, di,pivoted at its center, the opposite end of the lever being engaged by akey, d3, extending upward through the top of the box. The inner ends ofthe levers are pressed downward by a spring, d", the proper directionvin movement of the pins By depressing the keys d3 the pins d will riseout of the openings d and permit of the rolleis being rotated by meansof the thumb-nuts, which project out of the casing A, andthe bandscaused to pass the openings a a until the desired expression is showntherethrough, when the pins are allowed again to engage one of theopenings, and the rollers are thus firmly held against movement.

The bands may be made of some transparent material and a light be placedbehind them, which will clearly display the indications thereon. Theflap may also be made of transparent material for similar purposes.

e e represent endless cords or bands, which pass over the upper andlower rollers near their ends, and which serve the purpose of causingthe rollers to move simultaneously, and also of imposing sufficientfriction upon the rollers to hold them in any position to which they maybe turned.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In an office-indicator, the combination of a frame or casing providedwith one or more openings in its face, whereby the interior may beobserved, a hinged flap adapted to cover or uncover said opening oropenings, and one or more springs for the purposev of retaining the flapin an open or closed position in relation to the openings,snbstantiallyas described.

2. In an indicator, the. combination of a frame or case provided with4one or more openings in its face, whereby the interior may be observed,a flap adapted to cover or uncover said openings, and springs for thepurpose of retaining the flap in an open or closed position, and one ormore movable bands located behind said openings, substantially asdescribed.

3. In an indicator, the combination of a frame or casing provided withone or more openings in its face, a hinged flap adapted to cover oruncover saidv openings, springs for the purpose of retainingA the flapin either position, and one or more movable bands located behind saidopenings and attached at both ends to the rollers, the said rollersbeing pro` vided with handles-Stich as thumb-nuts-for the purposeofactuating them, substantially as described.

4. In an indicator, the combination of a frame or easing provided withone or more openings, a. hinged Hap adapted to cover or uncover saidopenings, a spring or springs for the purpose of retaining the flap ineither position, one or more bands located behind said openings, rolleishaving the ends ofsaid bands attached to them, and spring-stops wherebythe rollers will be prevented from accidentally rotating, substantiallyas described.

5. In an indicator, the combination of a frame or casing, a hinged flapon the face of the casing, one or more springs retaining the iiap in anopen or closed position, a roller having stop openings in itscircumference, a stop adapted to engage said openings, a second rollerand a band attached to the rollers adapted to be actuated thereby, and abelt for the purpose'of keeping the said band taut, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

C. NEWTON HAMMOND.

litnessesz Z. L. DAvIs, E. H. BURKE.

IIO

